Ron Basso
(Storm Tracker)
Mon Sep 19 2005 08:29 AM
Re: Rita a hurricane by tonight?

Quote:

Warnings and watches are based on a "time to impact" factor. If you are outside that time envelope, they won't issue the watch/warning yet even if you might be effected. They will wait undtil the proper time to issue it. If I remember, I think warnings are 48 hour lead time, but I might be wrong. Don't quote me! - plus I think she's already closer than 48 hours...about 36-42 hours until south of eastern FL, 48 hours until off the tip of southern Florida. If there is a northward change in the models, that's less than 48 hours.

Also, they may have mentioned the change in the warnings becuase of the center reformation north...which might affect model runs.

--RC



Actually RC, I think the strict definition is 36 hours announcement for a Watch and 24 hours for a Warning. In this case, they went early to evalcuate the FL Keys.


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